CHAP. I.

HE that can make the Stone of Ar­gent vive or ☿ alone, is the greatest searcher out of Art and Nature: because there is all that in ☿ which wise men do seek, for, Quick-silver is the mother and sperm of all Metals and their nearest matter: and it is not onely a spirit but a body, it is also [Page 2]a middle Nature and also a sulphur, it is a ling­ring ☿, it dieth and riseth again and is fixed with its own proper Elements: wherefore it is first ne­cessary that it be purged from its impurities.

The purgation or purification is on this wise; grind it upon a Marble with a muller or a wod­den Pestill in a wodden Morter with common salt and a little vinegar springled thereupon till the salt be black, then wash it well with vineger and dry it easily at the fire, or at the Sun, then strain it through a double cloath or a new skin of a sheep till it be dry and the vi­neger clear taken away and be of a white co­lour and clear.

Grind it upon a Marble with a little ☿ su­blimate and let it mortifie and in corporate with it: then grind it with its equall weight of salt-Peter and green Coperas till it be like a paste; Then put all into a subliming glass and in Ashes sublime all the ☿ that it be white and clear as snow in the head of the Limbeck sublime it again three times or oftener and i [...] will be pure ☿ and sublimate.

Put one pound of this ☿ sublimate into two pound of common Aqua fortis by little and little at once as by two at a time till all b [...] dissolved like sugar in wine then shut the gla [...] and set it in Balneo to dissolve the space of 1 [...] days then distil away the Aqua fortis in a lenthe [...] in Balneo and the ☿ will remain in the bottom like butter of a white colour. And calcined b [...] corrosive water.

Put this calcined ☿ into an Earthen bod [...] [Page 3]with a Limbeck and in ashes sublime the whole dissolved substance three times which will then be very white and then it is called Mercury Ex­uberate.

VVhen you have three or four pound of this, receive the third part and fix it by often sublima­tion till it remain in a hard mass and ascend no more but remain fixed.

VVhich is called the Glue of the Eagle or the prepared body permanent and the volatile made fixed which is to be reserved for the earth of the stone.

Dissolve the other two parts in Balneo or in a cold Cellar or put it in a blader and hang it over suming hot water till it be all come to water.

Take this water thus made, and digest it in a Circulatory well closed the space of nine days then put it in a body with a head and receiver well luted and in ashes or Balneo distill the wa­ter of a white coulour or milkie and is called Lac Virginis, dissolving all mettalls and so you have seperated the spirit of the stone which is also called the lingring spirit and the white Tincture of the white stone of Mercury.

Take the third part which before you re­served and fixed called the glue of the Eagle, as much of it as you please and add thereto equal weight of its spirit or Lac Virginis and close up the glass and so you have joined the Man and the woman, ☿ with his own Earth; the spirit with the body. See the Holy Guid.

Set your Lac Virginis thus joyned with his own, Each in Balneo to putrine 150 days and [Page 4]there let it stand unmoved; after forty days it will be black, and it is then called the head of the Crow: then it will be of a green colour after that the Peacocks tail, and many false co­lours for between this and white it will ap­pear red but at last you shall see it white and then encrease your fire and it will stick to the sides of the glasse like fishes eyes Then have you each in the nature of Sulpher, Read the Holy Guid.

Take of this Sulphur as much as you please and weigh it and add thereto two parts of the white Tincture or Lac Virginis and set it in Bal­neo to dissolve the space of six days then distill away the Lac Virginis or Tincture and the Sul­phur will remain in the form of Liquor for it is the Liquor of the white sulphur of ☿ which is to be joined with the Liquor of the sulphur of Luna or siver.

The Sulphur of the white Luminary or silver or Luna is made as the other whereof we shall speak more in the next Branch. This Liquor of the sulphur is the soul which is joined with the spirit and body which quickeneth the whole stone. The other conjunction before was onely the union of the spirit and the body: but this is a threefold copulation viz. The uniting of the soul, spirit, and body.

Adde equal weight of these two Liquors of sulphur that is to say the liquor of the sul­phur of Mercury and of silver and Luna, and close well the glasse and set it in Ashes till it be white, for it will be of all coulours again [Page 5]and at last white; And then is it the perfect stone converting all Mettalls into silver.

This stone or Elixir is thus multiplied in vertue dissolve it in your Lac Virginis and distill it away and dry it and dissolve it again &c. And let it be so often dissolved and dry­ed till it will drie no more but remain in an incombustible oyl. And is then Elixer of the third Order.

Take one part of this Elixir and project it upon 100 or 1000 parts of melted silver (according to the goodness and vertue thereof) and it will turn the silver into a brittle Mass or substance, which beat to powder in an Iron or brasse Morter or upon a Marble, and pro­ject one part of this powder upon 100 parts of ☿ purged made hot, and it will be perfect medi­cine whereof one part turneth 100 or 1000 parts of other bodies into good silver. And this way is your Medicine multiplyed in quan­tity.

CHAP. II.

HERMES saith, The Elixir is nothing else but Mercury Sol and Luna, by Mercury nothing is understood but the sulphur of nature which is called the true ☿ of the Phy­losophers, and that sulphur gotten by putri­faction by the conjunction of the spirit and of the body of imperfect bodyes or mettals.

By Sol is meant gold, by Luna silver, both of them are to be joyned to imperfect bodies, that is to say, white sulphurs and red, whence the same Hermes in his treatise of Sol saith there happeneth a conjunction of two bodies and it is necessary in our Maistry; And if one of these bodies onely were not in our stone it would never by any means give any Tincture, Upon which Morienus saith. For the Ferment prepareth the imperfect body and converteth it to its own nature and there is no Ferment but Sol and Luna, that is, gold and silver. Of which Rosinus Sol and Luna prepared (that is [...]o say their sulphurs) are the ferments of met­tles in colour, See the Holy Guid. [Page 9]But this is made more evident by Raymund in his Apertory where he saith there is no fer­ment except Sol and Luna, for the Ferment of the stone to white is silver and to the red gold, as the Phylosophers do demonstrate because without ferment there doth proceed neither gold nor silver nor any thing else that is of its kind or nature, therefore join the Ferment with its sulphur that it may beget its like, because the Ferment draweth the sulphur to its own colour and nature also, and weight and sound because every like begetteth its like. Because the Fer­ment even as Sol tingeth and changeth his sul­phur into a permanent and piercing Medicine. Therefore the Philosopher saith he that know­eth how to tinge sulphur and Mercury with Sol and Luna, shall attain to the greatest secret. And for this reason it is necessary that Sol and Luna be the Tincture and Ferment there­of. You may read in the Holy Guide.

And so also Arnoldus in his Rosary, There is no body more noble or pure then Sol, or his shaddow that is to say silver without which no tingeing Mercury is generated. He that endeavoureth to give colour without this gold or silver goeth blindly to work like an Asse to a Harp, for gold giveth a golden and silver an argentive colour therefore he that knoweth how to tinge ☿ with Sol and Luna cometh or reacheh to the secret which is called white sulphur, the best to silver which when it is made red, will be red sulphur to gold the best.

Take pure Luna, that is to say silver that is best which is beaten into leaves and bring it into calx with ☿ And it is then called water sil­ver then is the Luna well prepared for Calcina­tion. See the Holy Guide.

When you have your silver thus prepared, take 4 or 6 ounces thereof, and put it in double proportions of Lac Virginis mixed with equall quantity of corrasive water to dissolve in an egge glasse. After it hath dissolved so much as it can in the cold, set in Balneo and there let it stand 9 dayes till the whole substance of the silver be dissolved into a green water, then let the Balneo cool and take it out, and put the dissolution into the body and set thereon a head and distill of the water from the matter remain­ing which is the oyl of the silver Calcined not into a calx but a Liquor, because this Lac Vir­ginis if it be mixed or joined with common Aqua fortis or alone without it (as it pleaseth the Operator) is so strong that the very Dia­mond cannot resist it but is dissolved: There­fore this water is called the water of Hell and is the onely miracle of miracles of the World, because it containeth such a fiery nature in it self and propriety of burning of all bodies into Liquor whereas the Elementall fire prevaileth no further then to reduce mettalls into calx or ashes. But to return from whence we digressed I now come to the third operation.

To the end therefore that this liquor or oyl of silver may be more perfectly dissolved and that all the imperfection of adustion may be [Page 11]taken away, which by the Antients is called the corroberating of the lest humidity. Put this Oyl or liquor into another egge glasse like the former power thereupon so much spirit of wine above it 4 fingers then close well the glasse and set it in balneo to digest 7 or 10 dayes and you shall find the oyl or liquor turned into a thin or rare water oyl: put this water into a still and in balneo draw away the spirit of wine till none of the spirit of wine remain with the silver dissolved. And thus have you your silver prepared for putrifaction.

This Liquor of silver is potable but not the Quintessence put this water into a fit putri­fying glasse and seal it up and set it to putrifie in balneo till the time of putrifaction be past which is about 150 days, and when you see the first sign of putrifaction which is called the head of the Crow encrease your fire a little till all colours begin to appear and you see it begin to be white,

When you see it white encrease your fire yet more and it will rise up and stick to the sides of the glasse most transparent like the eyes of fishes which is Sulphur of Nature or salt, or the putrified body of the white Lumi­nary, viz. Luna, which yet is not so hard as a body nor so soft as a spirit but of a mean hardness between a spirit, and a body, and is called the Phylosophers Mercury and the Kay and mean of joining Tinctures.

But to come to the liquor of the white Lu­minary, this body being brought into Quint­essence [Page 12]is prepared for dissolution like the sul­phur of the imperfect body, but whereas that is done by the vertue of the white tincture or Lac Virginis I rather do it by vertue of the fire naturall which is the spirit of wine and after the drawing away thereof it remaineth in a Liquor.

Now this liquor of Luna dissolved is the Quintessence which then is the liquor of the white Luminary and the sole as Exinadius saith quickening the whole stone without which it is dead and will neither give form nor co­lour.

Therefore the fourth part of this liquor of the white Luminary is to be joined to three parts of the former liquor of the sulphur of ☿ and after to be kept in a lent fire of Ashes Well closed till it passe through all colours and at last come to its former colour of whiteness and so the stone is fermented and turned into the white Elixir.

The Residue of the foresaid dissolved sul­phur keep diligently and therewith ferment the white sulpher of other imperfect bodies or stones into Elixirs, which when they are thrice dissolved and again congealed and re­main in a liquid substance then they are called incombustible oyles and Elixirs of the third order.

And thus the stone is made of ☿ alone.

CHAP. III.

IT is not necessary to speak in this place of the urgation of ☿ because we spoke thereof before.

The sublimation is to be done otherwise then in the former worke for that which is called sublimation here is not done with vitrioll and salt peter but is only the distillation of the ☿ in an earthen body with a limbeck and that by it self without any addilament.

When the ☿ is once sublimed in ashes wholly into the head of the limbeck having a retainer joined thereto take off the head and with a fea­ther gather the sublimed matter and you shall find your ☿ of a black colour having lost his fairness and like a dust or powder sticking to his body.

Put it again into the body and sublime it as before and reiterate this work 7 or 9 times un­till you have a sufficient quantity of this pow­der that is to say a pound or more. And this is the Calcination.

When you see your ☿ will ascend no more but remain in the bottome of a black colour and that is dead and brought perfectly into calx let it cool and remove your body into sand till it be turned into a red colour; And this is the perfect precipitation prose without the help of any corrosive water, take a little of this powder upon a hot iron plate if it fume, dry it longer, if not it is well.

Take of this red powder as much as you will dissolve and put thereupon at least his double weight of Lac Virginis and set in Balneo till you see your Lac Virginis stained a yellow or red colour then filter it from its feces and keep it by it self in a glass well stopped and dry the matter that remaineth in Ashes and pour thereon new Lac Virginis and do as before till you have drawn out all the tincture. And so your ☿ is dissolved.

Put these solutions into a body luting to a head and in balneo distill away the Lac Virginis and the red oyl precipitate will remain which is fixed and needeth no distillation but is the tinging oyl of red Mercury and the red tincture of the red stone of ☿ and the soul and spirit of the same stone joyned,

Therefore take part of the white Sulphur re­served in the first Table and rubify it in ashes till it be red then imbile it with equal weight of the oyl of the tincture of this red ☿ and set it to dis­solve in Balneo, and when you see it is dissolved into a liquid substance take it out.

Then set it in ashes or under the fire to fix [Page 16]till the matter being dried remain fixed and fusi­ble standing in a mean heat not over hot which try upon a hot Iron plate and if it fume not it is well, if it do, encrease your fire till it be totally fixed and dry.

If this matter be imbibed again with its oyl till it drink up as much as it will and again dis­solved in Balneo and then dried in Ashes, it will shew many colours and lastly appeared. And then it is the stone penetrating and fusible, apt for forme.

Join this imbiled matter (or stone) with the 4th part of the liquor or oyl of the red sulphur of Gold or the red Ferment, and dissolve it in Bal­neo, and drie it again, and again dissolve it in a glasse hanged in the fume of hot water or Balne­um and congeal it again till it stand like honey; Then it is the perfect red Elixir of Mercury.

The Multiplication or Augmentation of the vertue and quantity is shewed in the former Chapter.

CHAP. IV.

THe putrifaction or purgation of gold is done as the Goldsmiths use to do by melt­ing it with Antimony that the gold may remain in the bottome pure and clear from other mettalls which they call Regulus.

Take 4 or 5 ounces of this refined gold, leaf or fileings and dissolve it in Lac Virginis, mixed with equal weight of Aqua fortis wherein salt Armoniack sublimed is dissolved, and when it is dissolved into a red Liquor or deep yellow then it is well calcined.

The solution and putrifaction is done as be­fore you did with silver in the preparation of the white Ferment.

When you have your white sulphur of nature (after putrifaction) sticking to the sides of the glass, let it cool, and take out your glass and set it [...]n Ashes, and encrease your fire but not too much lest your matter vitrifie, and let your ashes be no hotter then you can hold your hand therein, and so let it stand till the sulphur be of a perfect deep red colour, Then have you the red sulphur of the red Luminary.

If you resolve this red sulphur in spirit of wine or distilled Vinegar into an oyl it is then the Li­quor [Page 18]of the, red Luminary, And Auram potabile curing all infirmities if the spirit of wine or vi­negar be destilled from it; But for this work it were better to dissolve it in our red Lac Ʋirginis spoken of in the second Chapter of the second Book; distill away the Lac from the sulphur in Ashes, and the sulphur remaining in an oile is the Ferment of all stones to the red. The augmenta­tion of this red Elixir in vertue is with his red Tincture as before in the white Elixir with his white Tincture. The augmentation in quantity is by projection upon the body of gold molten: And that brittle matter of gold upon ☿ and if it be powdered and resolved with spirit of wine in­an oyl as was said before of silver then it is the Quintessence of gold, and the great Elixir of life and the spiritual ferment for the transmutation of mettals and for the health of mans body.

The 5 Chapter sheweth the abbreviation of the Red Elixir.

CHAP. V.

ALthough Raymund writing to King Robert was pleased to say, That every Accurtation diminisheth the perfection: because Medicines which are made by accurtation have less effect of transmutation, which I also ascent to with him for a truth, if the work be begun from the first fountain: yet because this work hath its begin­ning from those things which before were brought to a perfect degree of perfection, there­fore in this there is no diminution of the perfecti­on as the same Raymund witnesseth lib. Mecur. pag. 103. saying thus.

Therefore it ought to be declared unto thee, that if they be both well prepared (and that thou begin with them) thou wilt do a wonderful work without any great labour sooner then if thou should begin with one thing alone; Therefore my son begin thy work of two things together as [...] shewed to thee in the greater stone, when we spoke of the twofold custody of the actions which are caused by the bodies and spi­rits.

By that which is caused by the bodies and spirits he means nothing else but sulphur, willing that we should begin with sulphur, to which I do so well agree that I begin this my accurtation [Page 20]with sulphur alone and I add no other body to this Elixir but onely the sulphur of ☿ alone crea­ted of his own body and spirit.

Take therefore 2 ounces of the white sulphur that was described in the first Chapter and set it in ashes to rubifie, in 30 days it will be turned into red sulphur.

Which when you have done dissolve that sul­phur in the red Tincture of Mecury when it is dissolved draw away the Tincture, in the bottom remaineth the Liquor of the sulphur.

To which if you add a due proportion of the liquor of the red Luminary it will be perfect Fer­ment, which if you dissolve and congeal as before is shewed, it is then Elixir of very great vertue to the red work and no man can make a shorter a­breviation in the world; And when the sulphur of any body is prepared it may this way very speedily be converted into Elixir by adding the li­quor of the ferment.

CHAP VI.

TAke Antimony calcined so much as you please, and grind it to a subtile powder, then take twice so much Lac Virginis and put your powder of Antimony therein and set it in balneo 7 days, then put it into a body, and set it in sand or ashes till the Lac be turned red, which draw of and pour on more and so let it stand, when that is coloured red, pour it to the other and thus do till you have drawn out all the tincture set all this water in balneo or lent a­shes to distill with a Limbeck, and distill it with a lent fire and first of all the Lac will ascend, then you shall see a stupendious Miracle because you shall see through the nose of the Alimbeck is it were a thousand veins of the liquor of this [Page 22]blessed minere to descend in red drops just like bloud, which when you have got thou hast a thing whereto all the treasure in the world is not equall; Now you have the blood of the Lion according to Rupesissa, let us here rest a little and speak of the Glew of the Eagle, of which Paracelsus thus saith.

Reduce Mercury so far by sublimation till it be a fixed Christall; this is his preparation of Mercury and his way of reducing it into the Glew of the Eagle, but above all I require that that way be used which is described by me before in the first Chapter, or that hereafter set down after this.

Then saith the foresaid Author, go on to re­solution and coagulation, and I again will you to observe the same manner of solution shewed in the first Chapter before.

Now let us come to conjunction after the so­lution of these two, take equal weight of them and put them in a vessel well shut.

After you have thus joined them together set your glass in your furnace to putrifie and alter the space of certain days. Therefore Paracelsus saith, then at length and presently after your Li­li is made hot in your glass it appeareth in won­derful manners (or demonstrations) blacker then the Crow: after that in process of time whiter then the Swan and then passing by yellow to be more red then bloud.

This being putrified and turned into red is to be taken for the stone, and then it is time it be fermented.

Of which Fermentation Paracelsus thus speak­eth, one part thereof is to be projected upon 1000 parts of molton gold, and then the medicine is prepared and this is the Fermentation of it. But if the half or one part of the liquor of the sulphur of gold before described be added to it then it would be spirituall ferment, and would be much more penetrating in fortitude and fusible as Paracelsus doth testifie in his Aurora where he would have us to join the star of the sun or the oyl of sol to this stone. And thus the phisical Alchimical tincture is performed in a short time for curing all man­ner of Infirmities and humane diseases (which is also the great Elixir for mettals) so courtly concealed by the Antients. Which Hermes Trismagistus the Aegyptian, Osus the Gretian, Haly an Arabian, and Albertus Magnus a Ger­man, with many others, have sought and pro­secuted every one after their own method, and one in one subject another in another, so much desired by the Philosophers onely for prolonga­tion of life.

In this composition Mercury is made a fixed and dissolved body, the blood or spirit of the red Lion is the ferment or soul, and so of trinity is made unity, which is called the Phisical and Alchimicall tincture, never before that I knew of collected or writ in one work And I swear: I had not done this except that otherwise the composition of this blessed medecine had for ever been forgot.

If you desire to make the glue of the Eagle in a breifer way. Take part of the red precipitate prose as is taught before in the table of Mercury and dissolve it in distilled vineger and the vineger will be coloured into a yelow or delightfull golden colour and after you have destilled away the vineger there will remain in the bottome a white substance of the Mercury fixed and fair, which is to be joyned to the oyle of the Lion; And this work is much shorter and less laborious, look more hereof in the third Book.

Take Antimony well ground so much as you please and melt it in naked fire with salt Armoni­ack, and when it is melted cast it suddainly into a vessel almost full of distilled vineger wherein salt Armoniack hath been dissolved and thus melt it and cast it in three times, then pour off the vi­neger from the Calx of the Antimony and drie it well and grind it small and dissolve it as before is taught, and so have you the Red Lion of the Philosophers Lead or Antimony.

CHAP. VII.

CHAP. I. Of the blessed stone of the Philosophers [...] the Elixir of life, and also the way [...] making malleable glasse.

HERMES Speaking of fermentation bids us to take the sun and [...] shadow by the shadow he mea [...] ­eth the moon because in respe [...] of dignity lustre and power [...] is much more weak and inferiour then the [...] [Page 47]And the moon followeth the sun as a shadow doth the body and is not illuminated except by the light of the sun, we will first speak of the body, that is to say of gold, and after come to the shadow of which gold it is written in a book of Chimicall Art in this manner. The Philosophers stone is made of gold alone and onely by nature and is more sublime then them, which the Philosophers affirme cureth all infirmities. According to the opinion of this Philosopher I purpose to begin with gold alone and the medicine which is a new and sole nature, and antient and sound Quintes­sence.

But to the end this gold may be better and more pure, it may be purged two manner of wayes that is to say, by Antimony and by dissolution in corrosive waters with which copper plates are mixed as Goldsmiths use to do which is called water gold.

When you have thus prepared your gold project one part of your red medicine (or red Elixir) upon 100 parts thereof when your me­dicine is augmented in vertue and all that weight of molten gold will be converted into a red brittle masse which grind upon a mar­ble to an impalpable powder.

Then dissolve these hundred parts or so much thereof as you please in distilled vineger or in spirit of wine, and set it to disgest in Balneo the space of a day or two then distill the spirit of wine from it in Balneo, and in the bottome will remain the fixed and pure oyl of the gold [Page 48]which is then the true Aurum potabile, and spiritual Elixir of life, if you would give to any one of this powder presently before it be con­verted to oyl, warm a little white or Rhenish wine and dissolve in either of them so much of the red powder as will tincture the same into a red colour and the wine so tinctured will be Aurum potabile, but it would be better and more penetrating if it were tinctured with the fore­said oyl.

In like manner is the white medicine to be projected after the purification of the silver in a corrosive water as is before declared.

And so the melted silver will be converted in­to a brittle powder and white masse which likewise is to be dissolved and turned into oy [...] and thus the white Elixir of life is made an [...] potable silver curing and healing so far as i [...] is able humane diseases for it cannot be suppos­ed that the Elixir of Luna hath so great vertu [...] as the Elixir of Sol hath.

Whence the Author of the book call'd correct [...] falnerum and Richard Anglicus in his correct [...] ­ry. say whereas among the vulgar and Ph [...] ­losophers; God hath this report that being in his first disposition that it cureth the Lepr [...] ­sy and many other vertues, this is not exce [...] by its compleat disgestion because the excellenc [...] of the fire acting in it consumeth all evil h [...] ­mours that are in sick bodies as well in hot [...] cold causes, But silver can not do this because hath not so much superfluity of fire and is [...] so much disgested and decocted with natural [Page 49]maturity, yet notwithstanding this it hath a fieriness occultly and vertually in it, but not so fully because the fire causeth not such Ele­mental quallities as in gold. And therefore sil­ [...]er being in his first disposition doth not cure [...]he Leprosy so potently unless it be first dis­ [...]ested by Art untill it have the cheif degrees of [...]old in all maturity. Wherefore other sick [...]etallick bodies more weakly cure infirmities according as they differ more from them in [...]erfection and maturity some differ more some [...]ss, which is by reason of the sulphur infect­ [...] feid and burning of which they were made [...] the beginning in their generation and coagu­ [...]tion and therefore they cure not whereas the [...]e in them is burning and so infected with [...]e Elementall feces with the mixture of other [...]ementall quallities.

Seeing therefore that gold is of such vigor [...]ongst the vulgar and that being in his first [...]sposcion what wonder is it if it being brought [...]o medicine (as is experienced) by Art and [...] vertue be subtiliated by disgestion of decocti­ [...] and purgation of the quallities but it may [...]en cure more nay infinite or all diseases.

It makes an old man young and revive, it [...] [...]serveth health strengtheneth nature and ex­ [...]leth all sicknesses of the body it driveth poy­ [...] [...] away from the heart it moysteneth the [...]teries and breifly preserveth the whole [...]dy sound.

In the Ludas purorum it is thus written of the use of this medicine the manner of useing it according to all the Philosophers is thus, if you will use to eat of this medicine then take the weight of two florence Duccats of our Elixir and one pound of any confection, and eat of that confection the quantity of one dram in win­ter. And if you do thus it driveth away all bodily infirmities from what cause soever they proceed whether hot or cold, and conserve [...] health and youth in a man, and maketh a [...] old man young, and maketh gray hairs to fall it also presently cureth the Leprosy, and dis­solveth Flegm mundifieth the bloud it sharpe [...] ­eth the sight and all the senses after a mo [...] wonderful manner above all the medicines [...] the Philosophers.

To which purpose we thus find in the R [...] ­sary of the Philosophers, In this (that is to [...] in the Elixir) is compleated the pretious gi [...] of God, which is the Arcanum of all t [...] Sciences in the world, and the incomperable treasure of treasures (for as Plato saith) he th [...] hath this guift of God hath the dominion [...] the world (that is to say of the Microcosm [...] because he attaineth to the end of Riches [...] hath broke the bonds of nature, not onely [...] that he hath power to convert all imperf [...] mettalls into pure gold and silver, but rath [...] because he can convert and preserve b [...] man and every Animall in perfect health.

To this purpose speaketh Geber, Hermes Ar­noldus, Raymundus, Lullius, Ripley, Penotus, Augurellus, Aegidius, Valescus, Roger Bacon, Scotus, Laurentius, Ventura; and diverse un­certain Authors.

Lastly, I now come to the generall consent of all the Philosophers and repeat what is found in their writings in the Book de Aurora con­surgeat, and in Clangor Buccinae, It is to be noted that the Antient Philosophers have found 4 principal effects or vertues in the glorious repository of this treasure.

• 1. First, it is said to cure mans body of all infirmities.
• 2. Secondly, to cure imperfect mettalls.
• 3. Thirdly, to transmute base stones into pre­tious gemmes.
• 4. Fourthly, to make Glass malleable.

Of the first. All Philosophers have consented that when the Elixir is perfectly rubified it doth not onely work miracles in solid bodies but also in mans body of which there is no doubt, for being taken inwardly it cureth all infirmities, it cureth outwardly by unction. The Philosophers also say, if it be given to any in water or wine first warmed it cureth them of the Phrensy, Dropsie, and Leprosy, and all kind of Fevers are cured by this Tincture and taketh away whatsoever is in a weak stomack it bindeth and consumeth the Flux of peccant humours being taken fasting it driveth away malen­cholly and sadness of the mind it cureth the infermities of the eyes and dryeth up their [Page 52]moisteness and blearedness, it helpeth the pur­blind, red or bloodshot eyes it mollifieth the primy or web the Inflamation of the eyes and all other incident diseases are easily cured by this Philosophical medicine.

It comforteth the heart and spiritual parts by taking inwardly it mittigateth the pain of the head by anointing the temples therewith maketh the deaf to hear and succoreth all pains of the ears it rectifieth the contracted Nerves by unction, it restoreth rotten teeth by wash­ing also all kind of imposthumes are cured with it, by oyntments or emplaytors or injecting the dry powder therein.

It cureth Ulcers wounds Cancers Fistulas noli me tangere, and such like diseases and ge­nerateth new flesh if it be mixed with cor­rupt and sower wine it restores it, it expelleth poyson being taken inwardly it also killeth wormes if it be given in powder it taketh a­way wrinkles and spots in the face by anoint­ing therewith and maketh the face seem young, it helpeth women in travail being taken inward­ly and bringeth out the dead child by emplaister, it provketh Vrine, and helpeth generation it preventeth drunkenness, helpeth the memory, and Augmenteth the radical moisture it streng­theneth nature and also Administreth many other good things to mans body.

2. Of the second it is written that it transmu­teth all imperfect mettals in colour substance last­ing weight ductibility melting hardness and soft­ness

3. Of the third, that is to say of transmuting base and ignoble stones into pretious gems, I will not speak of in this place, because I have reserved it for another place, that is to say the third Book.

Of the fourth it is writ that it maketh glasse malleable by mixture (that is to say of the powder of the white corporeal Elixir) when the glass is melted. Thus far Aurora Consurgeus and Clan­gor Buccinae.

Now if you desire to make pure and clear mal­leable glass learn this of me, and beware of what glass you make your mettal for you must not take glass of Flints, wherewith glass of windows are made but such as your Venice glass is made of, and that is to be chosen out of the first mettal of the glass, which hath stud molten in the fire, in the glass makers furnace the space of a night & then it will be without spots and pure therefore take as much of the said glass out of the furnace with your Iron rod, as you have a desire to con­vert, and when it is cold weigh it, and melt it by it self in a pot, and when it is well molten project your white corporeal Elixir upon it and it will be converted into malleable mettal and fit and apt glass for all Gold Smiths operations. And thus is glass made malleable and prepared for any use but if this were done with the red E­lixir it would be much more during, for there is nothing more pretious of which we will not now speak.

Therefore Son or or Reader whosoever thou art who readest my Books give credit to me and be­leive me, because all things that you shall find [Page 54]writ here are either the most approved writings and collections of all writers or the Au­thors own experiments. For I have tryed ma­ny things and found many things true. I beleive no man liveth amongst Mortals that knoweth more ways of prepartions which are concealed by almost all the Philosophers.

For that which perfecteth the great work that they have all concealed which truely is the errour of all Artists. And this is all I would have you to do. To calcine, dissolve and seperate the Ele­ments after join them together putrifie them or reduce them into sulphur ferment, project, Aug­ment in vertue and quantity. This is onely the work of the Philosophers of which the whole Company of Philosophers have writ in a conti­nuate course.

CHAP. I.

VEry many have writ of Saturne or Lead, but none that I know of have writ ful­ly thereof in any particular Treatise; therefore I do not here onely set down [...]at I have gathered from them most briefly and [...]ely, but also those things which I have found [...] proved by my own experience, which I have [...]exed to them, that the work may be absolute [...] compleat.

Of which, as they say, Mary the Prophetess, and the Sister of Moses in her Books of the work of Saturne is thus said to write, Make your water running like the water of the two Zaibeth and fix it upon the heart of Saturne: And in ano­ther place, Marry the Gum with the true Matri­monial Gum, and you shall make it like running water. Of which process of Mary, George Rip­ley our Country man hath these verses.

Or thus,

The heart of Saturne, saith Ripley, is his whi [...] and clear body, out of whose doctrine the wo [...] doth briefly thus proceed, that is to say, that water he made out of the body of Saturne, lik [...] the water Zaibeth, and that water fixed upon th [...] heart of Saturne, but because the practice [...] [Page 3]drawing out this water of Zaibeth, doth not ap­pear out of this, nor the way of making the heart [...]f Saturne, therefore the foregoing direction in [...]e Holy Guide will shew them both.

Therefore I have joyned two Tables, in one [...]f which the shorter is the demonstration of the deduction of the body of Saturne into his heart or [...]alt, the other longer and greater, is the extra­ction of the water Zabieth, and the consummati­on of the work of Saturne.

Having thus described this work, I now come [...]o the explanation, and say, that the Calcination [...]f the Body is twofold; for the Calcination thereof in the shorter work, for extracting the heart of Saturne, is done on this wise by Aqua Fortis.

Take 8 or 10 Ounces of Lead in Filings, and dissolve it in Aqua Fortis in double proportion, and fortified with Salt Armoniack in an Earthen Vessel with a narrow neck, and set in ashes till it be totally dissolved; and there will remain a white matter in the bottom like Grains of white Salt, which is a figure of perfect solution; then pour your matter that is dissolved in the water into a body, and set thereon a Limbeck, and in Balneo draw away the corrosive water, till there remain a dry substance in the bottom; and so you have the body converted white by Calcina­tion with corrosive water, out of which the heart of Saturne is to be drawn.

The way to wash away and purge the corro­sive water from the body, pour warm water upon the substance in a Limbeck, and pour it often off till it have no sharpness at all upon the [Page 4]tongue, and then your body is prepared for draw­ing out the Salt.

When your matter is well dried, dissolve it [...] it again in distilled Vinegar, and distill the Vine­gar twice or thrice from it, and in the bottom you shall have a lucid clear and white shining Salt, which is then called the heart of Sa­turne.

Now I come to the practice of the other greater work, that the verity of the stone may be found, of which many have made mention i [...] their Books, as Raymundus, who calleth it the Vegetable Mineral, and Animal Stone; Geb [...] saith there groweth a Saturnian Herb on the top of a Hill or Mountain, whose blood if it be ex­tracted, cureth all infirmities.

Ripley writ a whole Book, called his Practical Compendium, of the practice of the Vegetable Stone, teaching the manner and form of opera­tion; but because he neither set down the solu­tion plainly nor perfectly, he hath been the cause of much error, and hath not onely deceived me but all those that followed him, untill after a long time I found a way to dissolve Saturne, so that it could never after by distallation be turned into Lead again, which is the chiefest and greatest se­cret of the Vegetable Stone.

But let us hear the words of Mary the Pro­phetess, and Ripley taken from her: The Radix of our matter is a clear and white body which pu­trifieth not, but congealeth Mercury or Quick­silver, with its odor makes its water like the run­ning water of the two Zabieth ( alis Zubech) and fix it upon the fixed heart of Saturne: which [Page 5]words do most aptly agree with the properties of Lead; for if any one be smit or wounded with a Bullet, and the Bullet remain in the body, it will never putrifie.

And also if Quick-silver be hanged in a Pot over the fume of molten Lead, so as the fume of the Lead touch the Quick-silver, it will con­geal it.

Thus far of the preparation of Lead, we now come to its denomination, They bid us fix the water Zaibeth upon the fixed body of the heart of Saturne; now for the exposition of the body, for the name of Saturne, Ripley calleth it Adrop, of which that is made which the Masters call Se­ricon; the water of Sericon they call their Men­struum, the two Zabieths joyned together in one water, are the two Mercuries, that is to say white and red contained in one Menstruum, that is to say of the water and Oyle of the fixed body or heart of Saturne: Follow what I have written concerning the imbibition of the earth, our ope­ration is no otherwise then in the Practical Com­pendium of Ripley.

Isaacus also writ a Treatise of Lead, he wor­keth chiefly according to the doctrine of Mary the Prophetess, and laboreth much to fix the earth of Saturne, and after to dissolve the body in distilled Vinegar; that by the addition of cor­roding and sharp things, his red Oyl may be di­stilled, which he calleth the water of Paradice, that he may imbibe his fixed earth therewith: which way is much shorter then Ripleys, but the rubification and fixation of the earth is long and uncertain; wherefore I have both forsaken [Page 6] Isaacus and Ripley in making the earth, in stead of which I have given the fixed heart of Sa­turne, as you may read in the Holy Guide.

But that the body may be prepared according to this Table, and after my intention and the desire of Ripley, we both will that the Oyl or Water of Paradice be drawn out of the Gum of Sericon (whose father is Adrop) Sericon is made of Red-lead; therefore it is first necessary to shew the way of making Minium of Lead, which Thomas Juc an Englishman hath described, toge­ther with the Composition of the Gum of Seri­con, which Author I purpose to follow, as being the best.

Take ten or twelve pound of Lead, and melt it in a great Iron vessel, as Plumbers use to do, and when it is molten, stir it still with an Iron Spatula till the Lead be turned to powder, which powder will be of a green colour; when you see it thus, take it from the fire and let it cool, and grind that powder upon a Marble till it be impalpable, moistening the powder with a little common Vinegar, till it be like thick honey, which put in­to a broad Earthen Vessel, and set it on a Tre­vet over a lent fire, to vapor away the Vinegar and drie the powder, and it will be of a yellow colour; grind it again and do as before, till the powder be so Red as Red-lead, which is called Adrop: And thus is Saturne calcined into Red­lead or Minium.

Take a pound of this Read-lead and dissolve it in a Gallon of Vinegar, and stir it with a stick three or four times in a day, and so let it stand in a cold place the space of three days: then take [Page 7]your Earthen Vessel and set it in Balneo twenty four hours, then let it cool and filter the liquor three times; and when it is clear, put it in a bo­dy with a Limbeck thereupon, and distill the Vinegar so long as it will ascend, and in the bot­tom the Gum of the Sericon will remain like thick honey, which set apart, and dissolve more new Lead as before for more Gum, till you have ten or twelve pound thereof.

Now give careful attention, for we now come to the point and period of Ripleys error, for if you put four pound of this Sericon to distill in a Limbeck, and from thence would draw a Men­struum, as Ripley teacheth, perhaps you would have scarce one ounce of this Oyl, and some part of a black earth will remain in the bottom, and most part of the Gum melted again into Lead, by which you may know that the Sericon is not well dissolved, nor as yet sufficiently pre­pared, that a Chaos may be made thereof fit for distillation, because it is not yet well dissolved; therefore in Isaacus there is found a way of re­solving this Gum with distilled Vinegar, acuated with calcined Tartar and Salt-armoniack; Where­fore, saith he, if thou be wise, resolve thy Gum; but I like not this acuation of the Vinegar, as I may call it, I rather choose to resolve the Seri­con in Raymund's calcinative water, which is a compounded water of the Vegetable Mercury or fire natural, with the fire against nature, as Rip­ley testifieth, and it is more verified by Raymund in his Book of Mercuriis, where he teacheth how to dissolve bodies with his calcinative water.

I will reveal unto you this water, which is al­most [Page 8]unknown: Note therefore, that the Vege­table Mercury is the spirit of Wine (instead of which we may sometimes use distilled Vinegar) and that the fire against Nature is a corrosive water made of Vitriol and Salt-Peter.

Therefore take which you will, either spirit of Wine rectified (or Aqua Vitae) or distilled Vinegar four pound, and two pound of corro­sive water, and mix them together.

In this watet thus compounded, resolve half a pound of Gum of Sericon in a circulatory, and set it in Balneo four or five days, and the Gum will be totally dissolved into the form of water or Oyl of a duskish red colour.

Then distill away the water in Balneo, and there will remain an Oyl in the bottom, which is then the Chaos, out of which you may draw a Menstruum containing two elements; and this is the true resolution of the Gum of Sericon, in this water you may resolve so much Gum as you please by reiteration.

Take two pound of this Chahodical substance, and prepare it for distillation in naked fire or sand, and lift up the clear red Oyl, wherein both the spirit and soul doth secretly lie hid, which Isaacus calleth the water of Paradise, which when you have you may rejoyce, for you have gone through all the gross work, and come to the Phi­losophical work.

Therefore now proceed to conjunction, and joyn the white heart of Saturne with the red Oyl, as it is found in the Rosary.

Candida succincto jacet uxor nupta marito, That is to say, the red Mercury to the Salt, if you proceed to the red work.

Therefore take four ounces of the Salt or heart of Saturne, and as much of the red Oyl or wa­ter of Paradice, and seal them up in a Philoso­phers Egg, and so soon as they shall feel the heat of the Balneum, the Salt will dissolve and be made all one with the Oyl, so as you shall not know which was the Salt, which was the Oyl.

Set your glass in Balneo, and there let it stand in an equal degree of fire, till all your matter be turned white and stick to the sides of the glass, and shine like fishes eyes, and then it is white Sulphure of Nature; but if you proceed to the red work, then divide your white Sulphure into equal parts, reserving one part for the white work, and go on with the other part, and in a new glass well sealed up, set it in Ashes till it be turn­ed into a red colour.

When your Sulphure is thus converted, imbibe it again with equal weight of its soul, dissolving and congealing till it remain in an Oyl, and it will congeal no more, but remain fixed and flow­ing.

This then is to be fermented with the fourth part of the Oyl of Gold, as is often mentioned before.

We have set down already before of the aug­mentation in quantity and quality, therefore it is not necessary to repeat it here.

We will now return to the white Sulphure before reserved, that we may set down the man­ner of the white work.

When you have your red Oyl or Soul, if you desire to make the white Elixir, set part of the said Oyle in a glass in Balneo to digest, then take [Page 10]it out and put it into a body, and in a lent fire distill away the spirit or white Mercury, which you must try, that you may know whether it arise pure without water or not, as you do when you try the spirit of Wine, for if it burn all up, it is well; if it do not, rectifie it so often, till it be without any wateriness at all; then have you rectified your spirit, wherewith dissolve your white Sulphure, till it remain fixed, and flowing, as you did before in the red work, then ferment it and augment it with the fourth part of the Oyl of the white Luminary or Luna, as you did the red, and it will be the white Elixir, converting imperfect bodies into perfect Silver.

CHAP. II.

MY great Grandfather Christopher Heydon, saith in a certain Manuscript of his, Levi enim Arte norunt Alchimistae Mercurium currentem conficere explumbo, that is to say, the Alchimists [Page 12]knew how by an easie Art to make current Mer­cury out of Lead; but what Art that was, nei­ther he nor any of the ancients have shewed un­to us, Quaerite, quaerite, saith the first Alchimist (so Paracelsus was pleased to say in imitation of him) & invenietis, pulsate & operietur vobis, that is to say, Seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you; which may rather seem to be the words of an envious Master, then the precepts of a Teacher. But having learned this, I learned to seek, that is to say to read; I read, I knocked, that is, I tried many experiments, al­though they were repugnant to doctrine and Philosophy, therefore although I almost de­spaired of that Art, yet because nothing is diffi­cult to the industrious, by often knocking, at last I found it apart, by what means I attained to the Art of such a facility, that is to say, of making Quick-silver of Lead; and when the process is read to the operator, it will be rather rejected then believed: but to the end this Art may be revealed as a great secret, I thought it neces­sary to speak first of the Instruments necessary in this work, before I come to declare the doctrine, which are three in number, that is to say, a Fur­nace, a Crucible and a pair of Tongs, as appear­eth in the Holy Guide.

CHAP. III.

LEt the Furnace be D, the place filled with Coles E, whereunto put fire and when the Coals are well burnt, so that they give a clear flame and fire, take your Crucible A, well anailed that it break not with the suddain heat, and put therein three ounces of filed Lead, having twelve ounces of Mercury sublimate well ground, and Salt Armoniack six ounces mixed together, which put upon the filings of Lead into the Crucible A; and when the fire is strong and glowing hot, [...]ake your Tongs C, and presently take up your Crucible, and put it in B, the hole in the top of the Furnace till you hear a great noise and buz­ [...]ing, then so soon as you can (least the Quick­silver flie away with the spirits) take away the Crucible with the matter therein, and set it in an earthen dish filled with ashes to cool, and when it is cold strike the lower part of the Crucible, so that the matter of the Lead may fall into an earthen dish, and you shall find your Lead con­ [...]erted into Quick-silver.

This Crucible and Furnace is at large characte­ [...]ed in the Holy Guide.

This work is to be reiterated with new spirits [...]ill you have a sufficient quantity of Quick-sil­ [...]er, with which proceed as followeth to precipi­tate [Page 14]this Quick-silver, that from a spirit it may be converted into a fixed body by fixation.

Take of this Quick-silver so much as you please, and put it to precipitate in a round glass well luted, and set it in ashes to the top of the glass: yet let us stay here a while, that your un­standing may be the more enlightened.

Therefore understand that the intention of this work is to fix the spirit, which may sooner be done with the spirit of a fixed body, which be­fore was Homogeneal with the body, and which of its own nature desireth to joyn again with its body.

Therfore nature requireth that she may be hel­ped by Art in this work, to which the Artist con­senting, he adminstreth thereto the pure and de­sired metal, which it delighteth to adhere unto▪ which metal is Gold, which is thus prepared, tha [...] it be sooner parted by the Quick-silver and stic [...] thereunto.

Take as much pure Gold as you please, and dissolve it in aqua regis mixed with equal part o [...] acetum acerrimum, or Lac virginis, then set [...] to digest the space of a day, then put your dis­solution into an Alimbeck, and set it Balneo, t [...] distill away the water as dry as you can, and d [...] thus three times, and the third time distill it i [...] ashes, that the Salt Armoniack may sublime. The [...] put distilled Vinegar upon the matter remaining and after it hath stood three days in Balneo, disti [...] the Vinegar away in ashes, that all the substanc [...] of the Salt Armoniack may sublime: and do th [...] three times, always putting in new Vinegar, u [...] till the Oyl of the dissolved Gold remain in th [...] [Page 15]bottom; then take of your Quick-silver three times so much as your Gold, and pour it upon the solution of the Gold, that they may mix together and be united: then put your quick-silver with the solution in a round Glass stopped onely with a peece of Cotton, and with a stick put it down every day as it doth ascend, and keep your Glass [...]n ashes the space of a moneth, till your quick-silver be turned into a red precipitate, then again dissolve it in new distilled Vinegar, till the whole substance of the quick-silver be dissolved, and the Vinegar be coloured in a golden colour, then di­ [...]ill away the Vinegar in ashes, and again pre­ [...]ipitate the quick-silver, which is in the bottom [...]f a Gold colour, into a red and fixed body; and [...] have you the Mercury precipitate of Sa­ [...]rne.

It remaineth now that the body be imbibed [...]ith its soul, that this being from a spirit redu­ [...]d into a body, may again imbibe its soul, that it [...]ay be dissolved therewith; therefore put it into [...] Glass, and add thereto equal proportion of its [...]ul or water of Paradice, and shut your Glass [...]ell the space of five days, till the body be dis­ [...]ved with the soul.

Then dry it in ashes till it penetrate and flow; [...]d when it is dried, try it upon a hot Iron plate it be fixed and melt, if not, imbibe it again with [...]f the weight of its water, and do so till you [...]ke it fusible and piercing by imbibing and [...]ying it, and when it will melt in the fire, and penetrate, it is then the stone, and fit for fermen­ [...]ion.

We have said enough of the manner of fer­mentation in the second Book, and therefore it is not necessary to repeat it here: and so after fer­mentation it will be the Elixir.

Then it is to be augmented and projected, as is before declared; and thus the work of Saturne is accurtated, of which George Ripley saith,

Adrop is the father of the stone, Sericon his brother, Lympha his fister, the earth its mo­ther.

But if you desire to know all the secret of Sa­turne or Lead, I will set you down one process out of Paracelsus: when you have well prepared the heart of Saturne, saith he, take two or three ounces of that heart and grind it small with double weight of Salt-peter, and put it in a sub­liming Glass, with a head well luted to sublime, encreasing the fire by little and little as long as any thing will ascend or sublime; thus far Para­celsus: now if you find this true, Ripley will tell you what you shall do with it, in these words.

When by the violence of the fire in the distil­lation of the Gum of the Sericon, a certain white matter shall ascend sticking to the head of the Limbeck, like Ice, keep this matter which hath the property of Sulphur not burning, and is a fit matter for receiving form, you shall give it form after this manner by rubifying it in ashes, and when it is red Sulphur, give it of its soul, until it pierce and flow, then ferment it.

Here I have delivered unto you all the ways and manners of Saturne, which are found in any of the Philosophers Books: to the end therefore that the work may be compleated with a demon­stration [Page 17]of this word Plumbum Philosophorum, at appears in the Practical Compendium of Ripley, we say that the Philosophers Lead is not taken for Antimony but for Adrop, being converted into the Gum of Sericon.

It remaineth now that we in order treat of the third termination of this Book: therefore after we have done with Saturne, it is necessary to speak of Jupiter, viz. Tin: but because there are many other ways of handling Saturne besides those we mentioned, therefore we refer the Reader thither, seeing he followeth his footsteps: for he is the off-spring of Saturne and naturally born from him.

CHAP. IV.

IT is not necessary to prefix a peculiar Table to this metal alone, because it is set down before this book, nevertheless I will here reckon up its parts and operations as followeth.

• 1. Calcination.
• 2. Solution.
• 3. Seperation.
• 4. Conjunction,
• 5. Putrefaction.
• 6. Sulphur.
• 7. Fermentation.
• 8. Elixir.

Exaltation or augmentation and projection is spoken of sufficiently in the former Books.

Mars being most earthly of all the Planets or bodies, it is not to be doubted but that it may easily be reduced into a body with little labor; and therefore most easily converted into Salt, which is done by Calcination: therefore we will first shew his conversion into Salt.

Understand therefore, that hence ariseth a twofold consideration, that is to say, that it be calcined one way into its body or Salt, the other way that the body be prepared for solution by calcination.

The practice differeth but a little, for whether you calcine Iron for its Salt or its Menstruum, one onely manner of preparation sufficeth.

That is to say, that you take filings of Iron or Steel, as much as you please, and mix therewith equal weight of Sulphur in an earthen body with a Limbeck will luted thereto, then set it in ashes to sublime till all the Sulphur be sublimed from it, then dissolve the filings which remain in the bottom in Aqua Regia, and it will be converted into Salt, which will be cleansed from the said water, if you put thereon distilled Vinegar and distill it away; do thus three times with new Vinegar, and you shall have a yellowish red Salt in the bottom, which then is a body to be joyned to the soul, which keep in warm ashes till you use it.

Now for the practice of Iron for dissolution take filings of Iron or Steel, so much as you please, and put it in an Iron dish filled with Vi­negar, and set it in the flaming fire the space [...] three hours, then take it out and let it cool reiterate this work four or five times, the [Page 19]calcine it with Sulphur as you did before.

When it is thus calcined, set it to dissolve in a corrosive water, by adding equal weight of our acetum acerrimum, and let it stand till it have dissolved so much as it can in the cold, then set it in hot ashes, and let it stand there the space of four or five days, pour off the water and dry which is not dissolved, and again calcine it and dissolve it, and when it is dissolved, so as the wa­ter be coloured red, pour it out into a body, and keep it till you have dissolved as much calcined Iron as you please.

Then take all your dissolutions, and with an Alimbeck distill away the water in Balneo, and put distilled Vinegar upon the matter remaining in the bottom, and let it stand upon it in Balneo the space of seven days; then take out your Glass and filter the dissolution, and then again in Balneo distill off the Vinegar, and in the bot­tom will remain a thick Oyl of the Iron or Steel; but if it be not dissolved to your mind, reiterate your solution in Raymunds calcinative water, but it would be better if it were edulcorated with Aqua vitae, drawing it away again in Balneo, and so you have your Iron dissolved into a li­quor.

Therefore proceed to distillation, that there may be a separation, and distill it in an earthen Vessel in a strong fire, encreasing the fire as much as you can, and receive the oyl, or soul, or red tincture of Mars separated from the remaining feces by the nose of the Limbeck, which oyl is the most permanent tincture for colouring Sul­phures for the red work, or for exaltation of all [Page 20]Elixirs in colour, for it makes it tinge and colour higher.

When you have thus prepared the tincture, then proceed to conjunction, and work with the Salt before reserved, taking three or four ounces of the Salt, and equal weight of the soul.

Then seal it up and set it to putrifie in Balneo, and keep it there till it pass through all colours and be white, and then it is Sulphur of Na­ture.

Then take out your Glass and set it in ashes in a greater degree of heat till it be red, then dissolve the red Sulphur with its own soul, and a­gain dissolve and fix it; dissolving it in Balneo, and fixing it under the fire, and so it is prepared for fermentation.

The fermentation is, as hath often been spoken of before, with the resolved oyl of the Sulphur of Gold in a fourfold proportion to the Medicine, that by the addition of the ferment, it may be made Elixir transmuting all bodies.

And note that this Elixir of Iron excelleth all other Elixirs, for it rubifieth more, and tingeth higher, and is better for mans body, for it pre­vaileth against the spleen, constringeth the belly and cureth wounds, it knitteth broken bones together, and stoppeth the superfluous Flux of the Courses.

CHAP. V.

IT is chiefly to be remembred how we first taught you to dissolve Antimony with out acetum acerrimum, which may be also well done if you dissolve it in our calcinative water, and af­ter that Antimony is calcined which we spoke of in the end of the second book; it is also to be remembred that in the end of the book I spoke of the Glue of the Eagle in the sixth Table of the first book; these being remembred, it is to be understood that we attribute no other beginning to this accurtation, except that where before we took the blood of the red Lyon and the Glue of the Eagle when they were both destroyed; we now joyn them sound and not hurt together, that they living may mortifie and dissolve themselves, which I have fitly called Corporeal Matrimony, or the Union, for in this wedlock they dye toge­ther, that they may be vivified in the Celestial Matrimony; therefore it is not to be wondred if this Table differ from the other, for this pertain­eth to the handling of spirits, the other way teacheth the manner of making the Elixir of bodies; therefore we now come to demonstrate the foregoing Table.

Therefore that I may plainly reveal all things [Page 22]unto you, take Antimony well ground, half a pound, and as much Mercury sublimate, likewise ground, and grind them both togeth upon a mar­ble, till you cannot know them one from another; then set them in a cold place, that the matter dissolving may drop into a Glass set underneath, for when the matters are well mixed together, then say, that they will both shortly be dissolved when the water is perfectly dissolved, it will be of a greenish colour and lothsome smell.

Put this water with the thick part with it into a Glass, and let it stand the space of three days in a fixatory under the fire, and in short time you shall see your dissolvedness of a brownish black colour, and after, that is to say, in the fore­said time it will be red, something higher then red Lead.

Dissolve this calcined matter in Raymunds cal­cinative water, and when you have dissolved it all into a red liquor or deep yelow, then is your mat­ter brought well into its Chaos.

Put this liquor into a fit body with an Alim­beck and receiver, and by distallation separate the red oyl or the red Mercury from the white body which remaineth in the earth; and if any matter ascend into the head of the Alimbeck, de­spise it not, but trie if it be fixed; and if it be not fixed enough, sublime it till it be fixed.

Whereunto joyn equal weight of its soul, for the Celestial Matrimony, and always leave out the earth in the bottom if you have any sublimate fixed, if not, take the white earth remaining in the bottom, with which proceed as before is said, and joyn the white body with the soul; when [Page 23]they are thus joyned or married, set them to im­pregnate and revivifie in Bulneo, till it pass through all colours, and at last be converted into red, which then is the stone.

The manner of Fermentation, Augmentation, both in quantity and quality, and projection, is spoken of before in other works.

And thus Sons, Brethren and Reader, I have delivered and opened (and also have amended many things) all the secrets of the Ancient Phi­losophers, whose writings were rather published to conceal the Art, then to make it manifest or teach it; although it pleased Hermes Trismegi­stus, the first writer of this Art, both to say and protest that he had never revealed, taught, nor prophesied any thing of this Art to any, exept fearing the day of Judgement or the damnation of his Soul, for shuning the danger thereof, even as he received the gift of Faith from the Author of Faith, so he left it to the faithful; yet when you read his writings, either in his Smaragdine Table, or in his Apocalips, or his twelve Golden Gates, and shall find nothing plain or manifest, what will you think of such an Author? Believe me all the Ancients have concealed the secret of their preparations in the gross work, although they writ most famously of the Philosophical o­peration; therefore I have used my endeavour to trye, for out of their writings I found that the Elixir might be made of the Planets or Mettals, and also of mean Minerals, which came more neer to a metallick nature, then reading more, I found a certain method amongst them all, as it were with one consent or voice on this wise.

First and principally, that bodies should be made incorporeal, that is to say, discorporated, or discompounded, which then is called the Hyle or Chaos.

Secondly, That out of this Chaodical sub­stance, which is one thing, three Elements, should be separated and purified.

Thirdly, That the separated and purified ele­ments should be joyned, the man and the wo­man, the body and the soul, heaven and earth, with infinite other names so called, that the igno­rant might think they were diverse, which one­ly were nothing else but water and Salt, or the body and spirit or soul, that is to say, white Mercury and red, which they joyned together that a new and pure body might be created in putrefaction, that a Microcosmical infant might be created in imitation of the Creation, that is to say, Sulphur of Nature.

Fourthly, That it should be fed with Milk, that is to say, with its own proper Tincture, and after nourished by Fermentation, that it may grow to its perfect strength.

Having learned these, I begun to practice, and in the practice of every body and spirit, I found diverse errors; but reading more and trying more, at last I found the manner and true way of dissolving all bodies, separating and conjoyn­ing them; finding the composition of their se­cret of secrets, that is to say, Lac virginis, or Acetum acerrimum, and Raymunds calcining wa­ter, wherewith I dissolved all bodies at pleasure, and perfected the gross work; wherefore I pur­posed, contrary to the custome of the Philoso­phers, [Page 25]to reveal the whole work, lest I being en­vious, should be the Author of error like them; therefore I have added their works to my own experiments and inventions, which are plainly and truely writ, that the Artist need to read no books but mine, for herein is almost all things contained, which are found plainly writ by the Philosophers; and also those things which are found true by my own experience.

Now you have all things methodically in this Art without error, with which by the help of God, you may attain to the end.

Alchymy revealeth and openeth unto us four o­ther secrets.

The first is, the composition of Pearls, far greater and fairer then natural ones, which can­not be perfectly done without the help of the Elixir.

The second is the manner of making precious Stones of ignoble ones, by the same Art which we taught before in malleable Glass.

The third is the manner of making artificial Carbunckles in imitation of natural ones, which few or none have spoken of.

The fourth is the manner of making Mineral Amber, of which Paracelsus hath onely writ in his book of vexations of Philosophers, and in the last Edition of his works in the six of his Archi­doxes: but because they cannot be made without the help of the Elixirs, therefore they deserve a place amongst the Elixirs; of the fourth, that is to say, of the vertue or rather the vice of ma­king Amber, I shall handle it coldly: I have re­served the explanation of this Aenigma, till the last [Page 26]place, wherefore it is said, that the Elixir is per­fected in the Decimal number.

CHAP. VI.

THis Table of making Pearls, consisteth of these parts, that is to say,

• Lac Virginis.
• Dissolved Pearls,
• Quick-silver, And
• The White Elixir.

Take Lac Virginis, or Acetum Acerrimum, so much as you think sufficient for dissolving the Pearls, as in double proportion to the Pearls; as if there be three ounces of the Pearls, let there be six ounces of Lac Virginis, wherein dissolve the Pearls, and set the Glass in Balneo to disgest the space of a day, then pour out the solution, and distill it in Balneo, and in the bot­tom of the Glass you shall find the thick Oyl of the Pearls, whereunto add so much of your white corporeal Elixir as sufficieth to make the matter like paste, and put thereto equal weight of the Pearls of Quick-silver; if the matter be too thin, put more powder of the Elixir, if it be too thick, add more Lac Virginis or Quick-silver, till it be like Liver; grind this mass upon a stone till it be brought to a fit thickness.

Then make it up in what form you please, therefore it is necessary that you have a pair of Brass or Iron Moulds in readiness (but it would be better they were of Silver) of what form you will, and fill them with this matter while it is soft; then peirce them through with a needle, or such like thing, and put as many of these in a Glass as you will (but first hang them upon a thred) and close well the Glass, and bury it with the Pearls therein two foot under the earth, and let it stand there the space of six months till they be congealed with the cold into a shining and clear substance like natural Margarites. These Pearls made and compounded in this manner, are no less then natural ones, but much greater and more excellent by reason of the white E­lixir.

CHAP. VII.

WE now come to speak of Carbunckles, which have their birth or original in the pits, and Golden Mines of the earth, of the spirit of Gold and Mineral Salt indurated and corporeal, being [...]ecocted and disgested into the hardness of stone [...]y the Archeus of Nature, as well by the heat [...]f the Climate, as by the great heat of the Sun; [...]or they arise from the spirit of the Minere of Sol [Page 28]or Gold under the earth, by whose influence they shine, as also from the hard Mineral Salt, by the mixture of which they are hardned into the na­ture of stone; whence the Philosopher intend­eth and endeavoureth as near as he can to imitate nature by Art, and to make and compound arti­ficial Carbunckles above the earth, with the same materials which Nature formeth them of under the earth; therefore he useth the same principles, operating with the spirit and soul of Sol undivided, and the most hard Salt of the earth, whereof Venice Glass is made, which two are the material Organs for Manuals: three things are required, that is to say, a Glass-maker, Fur­nace, a flaming fire, and a Crucible.

We now come to the materials, which are two, and are to be joyned together; the first gi­veth the form, the other receiveth it: that which giveth the form is the spirit and soul of Sol or Gold joyned together in the red Elixir, and is the agent, as it were the man; that which re­ceiveth the form, is the hardest Salt of the earth contained in Glass, and is the patient, as it were the woman; the agent is the power of heaven impregnating the earth, the patient is the power of the earth, retaining the impression of the hea­ven.

Having thus demonstrated the Theory, w [...] now lay the foundation of the practice, which are two, whereof the first is the preparation o [...] the Elixir, the other of the Glass.

Therefore your red corporeal Elixir is to b [...] dissolved with the oyl or tincture of Mars o [...] Iron, because it hath the greatest vertue above [Page 29]all other bodies, by whose Coelestial power the Earth, that is to say the glasse, is brought to the hardnesse of stone, and converted into a stone: And so the Elixir is prepared for projection up­on glasse; but for the preparation of glasse there is no more required but that it be made of the same matter that Venice-glasse is made of; the composition of which if you know not, Take as much Venice-glasse as you please, and weigh it exactly, upon which project your Elixir: when you have so done, put your glasse in the Crucible to melt; and when it is well molten, then take your Corporeal red Elixir dissolved as before (or if you will, undissolved) as much as sufficeth to [...]inge the molten glasse, and put it tied up in a pa­per into the Crucible upon the molten glasse, stirring it a little with a rod; and there let it stand the space of one hour: then take out the Cruci­ble, and pour the matter into an ingot, and it will be malleable, but as hard as glasse, and stonelike [...]o the sight: and you may either cut it like a [...]one, or work it with a hammer. This Car­bunckle-stone or metal hath the property of a Carbunckle in shining and glistring above all na­tural Carbuncles; and if it touch a Toad or Spi­ [...]er, they presently die, because it taketh virtue [...]rom the Elixir against all poyson: And if the [...]ck carrie this Carbunckle about him, so that [...] doth touch the region of his heart, it takes a­way the Cardiack passions, and diminisheth the [...]rength of the disease.

CHAP. VIII.

HAving finished these two Secrets, we now come to the Electrum: but whether it is to be reckoned amongst stones, or amongst bo­dies, it may be doubted, because in the West-In­dies it is found writ in the Spanish Decads of the vertue thereof; it is affirmed to be the greatest Antidote against all poyson, and far more noble then Gold: but if it be a metal, it must necessa­rily be the chief and supreme of all metals; for other metals have their original from Sulphure and Mercury, but this metal consisteth of seven metals, and is the best of all those which grow in the Archaeas of the Earth. For where Gold is taken for the most noble of all metals by reason of its perfect digestion and colour, this hath a greater degree of digestion and colour, having a higher colour, that is to say, clear red, approach­ing neerer to the true colour of the Sun. For a [...] Gold is the Sun of other metals, so this Electrum is to Gold as the Heaven to the Sun, wherein Na­ture as it were in Heaven hath created certain stars shining with clear beams of a Silverish co­lour, shewing plain to the eye that it consiste [...] of red and white metals mixt in the highest degree of digestion.

On the Contrary it may be objected,

Ob. 1. That there are onely six metallick bo­ [...]ies, amongst which this is found to be none; therefore it is rather a Spirit then a body.

Also thus.

Ob. 2. The minere of every body or metal is [...]onverted into metal by fusion, but the minere [...]f Electrum in melting always remaineth; there­fore it is no metal.

Otherwise thus:

Ob. 3. There is nothing generated in the [...]rth but stones, spirits, metals, or mean mine­ [...]ls: but Electrum is none of these; therefore it [...]ems to be no mineral.

1. To the first objection it is thus answered. We say, that it is not apparent out of the books [...] any of the antient Philosophers, that they e­ [...]r dreamed of this natural and mineral Electrum. [...]t more to the purpose: those are called Spi­ [...]s, which flie from the fire; but the Electrum [...]eth not from the fire: therefore it is no Spirit, [...] Quicksilver and the rest, and also mean mine­ [...]s.

2. We now come to the next. We grant [...]t the minere of every metal is converted in­ [...] metal by the fire, which consists of Mercury [...]d Sulphure. This Axiome is evident in those [...]tals which are imperfect, and flie from the fire [...]her in their minere or in themselves, after they [...] reduced into metall; and also the Gold mi­ [...]e, although before melting it flie from the [...], before the Gold be molten and converted [Page 32]into metal; yet because Gold never flieth after it be molten, but is found fixed in all probation, therefore it is accounted the worthiest of all me­tals which consist of Sulphur and Mercury.

3. Now to the third, I say, that I think it ra­ther is of a stony and metallick nature joyned to­gether; by which mixture it differs from a stone, and also from metal: but because it consisteth of Mercury, Earthly Salt and Sulphur mixed, there­fore it gets unto it a mixt nature of them; so that it is half stone, half metal.

Wherefore it is to be judged that it consisteth of three natures mixed together; that is to say mineral, metallick, and stony; and is the best o [...] all those which grow in the Archeas of the Earth for it exceeds mean minerals in fixation and con­stancy, because they passe away in fume by long melting, and vanish to nothing; or else they me [...] easily in moysture, as salts, &c. But this Electrum or Amber remaineth fixed and constant as well i [...] the fire as water.

It exceeds metals in digestion, colour and dig­nity. In digestion, because it is endewed with the signe of greater and more perfect digestion [...] for as Gold is more yellow by reason of his grea­ter heat and more perfect digestion; So this E­lectrum, because it hath a higher colour then Go [...] hath, therefore it is more digested in colour; [...] as Gold exceeds other metals in colour, so Ele­ctrum exceeds Gold; for Gold is yellow, but E­lectrum red, which is a higher colour then yellow. And as Silver is the Luna of white metals, [...] Gold is the Sol of red metals: So Electrum is [...] Gold, as the heaven is to Sol in dignity or val [...] [Page 33]for by how much Gold is more noble then Silver, so much this Electrum is more noble then Gold.

Lastly, it excels stones in shining, and vertue. In shining, because they shine by reason of their hardnesse; so this Electrum sheweth many sparkes, not by reason of its hardness, but by rea­son of his compleatnesse. And as the heaven is a­ [...]orned with Stars, so this Electrum with spark­ing, because it hath the clearness and brightnesse of all metals. And as the Heaven containeth all [...]he Stars and Planets, so this Electrum, which is [...]he Heaven of metals, containeth the Sun and Moon, and the rest of the Planets in it self; Gold [...]nd Silver as it were the greater Luminaries, the other bodies or metals as the rest of the Planets, [...]ean minerals as Stars in vertue. For although [...]any stones have singular properties and vertues, [...] that some help the sight, others the Spleen, some the Heart; some stop blood, some hinder [...]ortivenesse, some hasten childbirth, some resist [...]oyson: yet there is no one found which takes [...]way all infirmities, as Electrum doth, more then [...]l mean minerals, metals or stones, according to [...] [...]s threefold conjunction, that is to say, Mineral, [...]etallick, and Lapidifick.

Therefore whatsoever others please to think of [...]is Natural Electrum, this seemeth most probable [...] me, that it is not simply a metal, but of a na­ture exceeding metal: for whereas stones, mean [...]nerals and metals are generated of Salt, Sul­phur and Mercury, this Electrum takes his origi­nal from Stones, Minerals and Metals: from [...]nes it takes Salt, from Minerals Mercury, [...]m Metals Sulphur. These three being brought [Page 32] [...] [Page 33] [...] [Page 34]into one by the Archeas of natute, are its Ele­ments, from a greater vertue and power of nature; which Elements have formed a higher degree of perfection then in any other stone, mineral or me­tal, as it were by the Commandment of God Nature should ascribe a Crown of vertue and dignity above all minerals.

But however it be, it is taken two manner of ways amongst the later Magitians and Alchymists, that is to say, that which is made naturally, and artificially; naturally is that which groweth in the natural Archeas of the Earth; the Artificial i [...] that which is made by Art above the Earth i [...] imitation of Nature.

Whence Paracelsus a worthy Master in M [...] ­gick seeing fully the nature of it, and the utility of Alchymy, commanding to make the Elixir thereof when as its natural body cannot be ha [...] in his booke of the Vexations of Philosophers, and the sixth of his Magical Archidoxes, teacheth t [...] compound an Artificial Electrum, that the E­lixir must be made thereof, as appears more [...] large in the said Bookes; which I like not at all He teacheth how to make the Elixir out of E­lectrum; I contrarily, the Electrum out of the Elixir: he would make the Elixir of the vertue of the Electrum; and I the Electrum of the vertue of the Elixir. I leave his way to his own fo [...] ­lowers, but I desire mine not to weary and [...] themselves in such a weak, but a more stron [...] principle.

I make two kindes of Electrum one way; t [...] first whereof is Spiritual, the other Corpore [...] First of the former: after you have made your [...] [Page 35]Corporeal Elixir by projection, in the same Crucible melt one ounce of Lead, and likewise another of Tyn; and when they are hot, take the Crucible from the fire, and pour therein one ounce of Silver melted in another Crucible; and when these three white metals begin to be cold, take two ounces of Mercury well purged, and put those two ounces of Quicksilver upon the molten metall by drops: then increase the fire gently, that too much of the Mercury do not fume away: then in three other several Crucibles melt Iron, Copper, and Gold, of each one ounce, which you must have in readiness molten. And first, put your molten Gold into the Crucible, where your four white metals stand molten, and pour it upon them; then your Copper, and last of all your Iron, stirring the whole masse with a stick, that it may mix together; and let it stand in a melting heat the space of an hour: then take all out that is melted in the Crucible, and consider well the weight of it; and according to the good­nesse of your Elixir, make projection for medi­cine. And thus you have created and compoun­ded spiritual Electrum of the weight of seven ounces, consisting of seven metals; which me­tals so converted into medicine, will be the E­lixir of Electrum, and an Universal medicine, for you need not after regard upon what body (or metall) you project it. It is also the chiefest medicine for mans body: for although three or four of all the Diseases of the Microcosm were united together, yet they may be cured with this one medicine. If you dissolve part of this in Spi­rit of VVine, and distill away the same spirit in [Page 36] Balneo, and the Oyl of the medicine or Elixir remain in the bottome, as is taught in the second book, you shall have the chiefest medicine of life, and most Noble Aurum potabile.

Note that if your Iron melt not well, then dissolve your Electrum in the Oyl or Tincture of Mars, dissolving and congeling until it have imbibed a sufficient quantity.

But if you desire to make corporeal Electrum, when your medicine beginneth to fail to convert metals any more into medicine, then in like manner project your medicine upon your melted metals or bodies, and they will be converted in­to corporeal Electrum metallick and malleable; of the vertue of which as I do endeavour to write nothing; so also of its vice, or rather of the vici­ousnesse of those that abuse it, I will touch a lit­tle sparingly.

Paracelsus writeth, that Virgill Hispanus and Trithemius made a Diabolical Bell of this Ar­tificiall Electrum, upon which when they would invocate Spirits (which they called by a more de­cent name of Intelligences) they writ the Character of what Spirit they desired; and at the third ring of the bell the Spirits obeyed their desires so long as they desired to talk with them; and when they would talk no more, they hid the Character, and by the reverse ringing of the bell the Spirits departed. He that will forsake God, and require knowledge, aid and assistance from the Devil, let him share with Arbucell, and with him de­scend to the Infernal Lake. But we that are true Magicians, or rather Philosophers, confiding in God the Father, and the holy Trinity, approving [Page 37]of Natural and lawful Magick or true Philoso­phy, but accounting the supernatural altoge­ther infamous and unlawful. And we require the doctrine and wisdome of divine goodnesse, and the holy Spirit, to whom be honour and glory for evermore. Amen.

CHAP. IX.

WE now come to the Last Chapter of this Book, wherein is declared what the Philo­sophers mean when they bid us finish the worke in the tenth number: it is to be understood that as out of the Hyle or Chaos four are divided; so out of the Hyle or Chaos of metals. Because metals or bodies when they are dissolved into li­quor, then they are contained in the first or one number, which is the solution of the body, of which by distillation is made two, (That is to say, Heaven and Earth, the Menstruum and Salt) that which remaineth in the bottome is the Earth or Salt, that which is distilled over is the Menstru­um and Heaven. And so you have One, two.

When the Menstruum is separated, it is divided into Three, that is to say, into Water, Air, and [Page 38]Fire: Yet it is to be noted, that the Air, which is the first part of the water containing an aery disposition, although it be in the form of water, yet it is reputed aer, by reason of the consimili­tude of the quality; and after its perfect rectifi­cation, it is a tinging Mercury, and the white Spirit of metals. In like manner is to be consi­dered of the Oyl, which although it is not in the form of fire, but a liquor; yet by reason of its Ardent heat, it is called fire, and the Soul or red tinging Mercury. And so there is One, Two, Three.

When there is a Conjunction of these three, that is to say, the air and water with its Salt or Earth, in putrefaction, these three are united in­to one quintessence, and are made a new body; in which three are united in one Sulphur, which Sulphur is the true Philosophers Mercury: and in making this white Sulphur, you have once turned the Philosophers wheel.

But that the work may be perfected in the tenth Number, if you adde the fire which is the fourth Element, to these three concluded in the foresaid unity, and rubified; then if these four in a new Conjunction be putrified in a lent fire of ashes, then it is the stone: for in this work it changeth colours again, and is converted into a red stone: and by this means you have joyned four into one, that is to say, 1.2.3.4. make ten: And so the stone is finished in the tenth number, because you have turned the Philoso­phers wheel twice, as Ripley witnesseth thus.

The stone is to be dissolved again with the fire, or Soul, or Tincture, and dried again until it pierce and flow; then it is to be fermented into Elixir with the Oyl of the Luminary; and so you have turned the Philosophers wheel again, which is then called the medicine of the third or­der. Of the solution of this, Ripley hath writ these verses, teaching the resolution of the white and red stone before it be transmuting Elixir, calling them his Bases, saying,

By which verses it plainly appeareth, his Bases were onely two Sulphurs, or two stones, which in another place he called his Mineres: and these mineres ought to be dissolved by his Ardent wa­ter, by circulation of the Oyl or soul upon the Sulphur, until it become a stone: for in this place he takes both the spirit and the soul for the Ar­dent water, willing that the spirit and soul be [Page 40]administred according to their tinging natures, for the resolution of the proper Basis. And thus have you the words of this Aenigma explained of the tenth number; which seeing it is the end of the Art, I have reserved it till the end.

It now remaineth that we reveal one secret of Ripley, which was never spoken of by any Phi­losopher; that is to say, the manner of making the Sulphur of Nature out of the Minere of the Microcosm, which is mans blood, of which he writ the whole practice in his book of the twelve gates, but most chiefly in his Medulla, where he teacheth its preparation and work more plainly. And because I have proved it to be true, therefore I tell it more confidently, because I desire to write nothing of my own fancy, but that which I have first proved. Hearken almost the last verses which he writ in his Twelve gates:

Out of these onely words there are two points observed, whereunto the Author steereth: The first is, that mans blood be put to putrefaction, that Sulphur may be made thereof. The second is, that it be fermented wittily; As if he should say, the Artist shóuld prepare it, that it may be fit for fermentation. Thus far of the Theory; Now we come to declare the practice out of Ri­pley's medulla.

Take Mans blood drawn out of the Veine in March, and of a Martial man the Author meaneth (as I think) of a Cholerick complexion; and when the blood is drawn out of the vein, let it cool, that the Green water may be drawn from it, which is saltish: for as long as that saltish water remaineth with the blood, it will not let it pu­trifie, because the water preserveth the blood from putrifaction while it is in a mans body.

When it is thus prepared, put it in an Egge­glasse well closed, and set it in Balneo to putrifie, in forty days or lesse it will be black; and so go on till it be white. When you have your white Sul­phur, divide it into two parts, and keep one for the white stone, and rubifie the other for the red work. And so you have two mineres, of which it is said, [Page 42]

And so to the end of the verses, as before. Yet here it is to be understood, that the Philo­sophers Sulphur is not mineral or metallick Sul­phur, from which metalls grow under the Earth: but it is a purified Sulphur drawn out of metalls made by Art above the Earth: out of which and the Mercury of the body the stone ariseth. For believe me, I had never writ any thing of this Art, except I had seen the Sulphur of the Microcosm, and the perfect solution of other bodies and Sul­phurs.

Now have you prepared your Sulphur out of the minere of the Microcosm: If you be a Philo­sopher, proceed to the end, and conclude your work in the tenth number: If not, you are not born to our Philosophy; therefore give the Sul­phur Mercury, that the work may be compleat.

I believe there lieth not any Secret in the Chymicall Art, which thou hast not truly decla­red and playnly taught. But to the end that these things which we have spoken may be more sure­ly committed to memory, we will repeat the ge­neral process of the parts as it is described in the beginning of this third book. And because there is not one, but diverse handling of the bodies, therefore the Table is divided into three parts; the middle whereof discribeth the process of im­perfect bodies to the stone; the other two teach the preparation of perfect metals for fermen­tation of the stone of imperfect bodies.

Some make twelve parts, as Ripley and others, who call them twelve gates: but because three other degrees are contained in these, it would be ridiculous to repeat them: and because the way of both ferments, whether white or red, is the same.

• CAlcination.
• Solution.
• Putrefaction.
• Sulphur.
• Solution of the Sulphur.
• Red ferment. Aurum Potabile.
• Quintessence. Elixir vitae.

So likewise it is said of Silver when it is prepared.

• White Ferment. Argentum Potabile.
• Quintessence. White Elixir of Life.

Now the Radiant Sun of the Philosophers ari­seth, which will drive away the dark Chimera's, and disperse the black clouds. Here the Aenig­ma's are opened, thistles and thorns are cut up and burned. Now Reader mayest thou safely walke in the Philosophers gardens, and gather most wholesome fruit. Here grow most fragrant roses both white and red. Here grow Vines bea­ring full grapes, of which is made the wholesome Nectar. Here are found trees of health and wealth, Trees of the Sun and of the Moon. Here spring two cool fountaines of Sciences and Know­ledge sliding artificially through the garden upon the most pretious gems, and Silver and Golden Sands. Thou hast one field of Paradice given thee from God, that during the Life of his elect they may be kept in health, free from all sickness. Here the corrupt Nature puts on an incorrupt Na­ture. Here impure things are turned into pure things. Here are all diseases lost, and health en­creaseth. Here the perfect unity and harmony of body dwell, and here is also all the most excel­lent treasures. Therefore let us always praise God for his gifts: let us worship him, obey him, love him, and beseech him to establish his grace upon us; and conduct us to eternity through all his ways of goodnesse, knowledge and faith, to Life eternal. Amen.